Results for “current status” — Page 48

DOE OSTI2016

WE-D-BRB-02: Proton Treatment Planning and Beam Optimization

The goal of this session is to review the physics of proton therapy, treatment planning techniques, and the use of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. The course material covers the physics of proton interaction with matter and physical characteristics of clinical proton beams. It will provide information on proton delivery systems and beam delivery techniques for double scattering (DS), uniform scanning (US), and pencil beam scanning (PBS). The session covers the treatment planning strategies used in DS, US, and PBS for various anatomical sites, methods to address uncertainties in proton therapy and uncertainty mitigation to generate robust treatment plans. It introduces the audience to the current status of image guided proton therapy and clinical applications of CBCT for proton therapy. It outlines the importance of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. Learning Objectives: Gain knowledge in proton therapy physics, and treatment planning for proton therapy including intensity modulated proton therapy. The current state of volumetric image guidance equipment in proton therapy. Clinical applications of CBCT and its advantage over orthogonal imaging for proton therapy. B. Teo, B.K Teo had received travel funds from IBA in 2015.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-D-BRB-03: Current State of Volumetric Image Guidance for Proton Therapy

The goal of this session is to review the physics of proton therapy, treatment planning techniques, and the use of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. The course material covers the physics of proton interaction with matter and physical characteristics of clinical proton beams. It will provide information on proton delivery systems and beam delivery techniques for double scattering (DS), uniform scanning (US), and pencil beam scanning (PBS). The session covers the treatment planning strategies used in DS, US, and PBS for various anatomical sites, methods to address uncertainties in proton therapy and uncertainty mitigation to generate robust treatment plans. It introduces the audience to the current status of image guided proton therapy and clinical applications of CBCT for proton therapy. It outlines the importance of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. Learning Objectives: Gain knowledge in proton therapy physics, and treatment planning for proton therapy including intensity modulated proton therapy. The current state of volumetric image guidance equipment in proton therapy. Clinical applications of CBCT and its advantage over orthogonal imaging for proton therapy. B. Teo, B.K Teo had received travel funds from IBA in 2015.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-D-BRB-04: Clinical Applications of CBCT for Proton Therapy

The goal of this session is to review the physics of proton therapy, treatment planning techniques, and the use of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. The course material covers the physics of proton interaction with matter and physical characteristics of clinical proton beams. It will provide information on proton delivery systems and beam delivery techniques for double scattering (DS), uniform scanning (US), and pencil beam scanning (PBS). The session covers the treatment planning strategies used in DS, US, and PBS for various anatomical sites, methods to address uncertainties in proton therapy and uncertainty mitigation to generate robust treatment plans. It introduces the audience to the current status of image guided proton therapy and clinical applications of CBCT for proton therapy. It outlines the importance of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. Learning Objectives: Gain knowledge in proton therapy physics, and treatment planning for proton therapy including intensity modulated proton therapy. The current state of volumetric image guidance equipment in proton therapy. Clinical applications of CBCT and its advantage over orthogonal imaging for proton therapy. B. Teo, B.K Teo had received travel funds from IBA in 2015.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2016

WE-D-BRB-00: Basics of Proton Therapy

The goal of this session is to review the physics of proton therapy, treatment planning techniques, and the use of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. The course material covers the physics of proton interaction with matter and physical characteristics of clinical proton beams. It will provide information on proton delivery systems and beam delivery techniques for double scattering (DS), uniform scanning (US), and pencil beam scanning (PBS). The session covers the treatment planning strategies used in DS, US, and PBS for various anatomical sites, methods to address uncertainties in proton therapy and uncertainty mitigation to generate robust treatment plans. It introduces the audience to the current status of image guided proton therapy and clinical applications of CBCT for proton therapy. It outlines the importance of volumetric imaging in proton therapy. Learning Objectives: Gain knowledge in proton therapy physics, and treatment planning for proton therapy including intensity modulated proton therapy. The current state of volumetric image guidance equipment in proton therapy. Clinical applications of CBCT and its advantage over orthogonal imaging for proton therapy. B. Teo, B.K Teo had received travel funds from IBA in 2015.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

An Update on the Storm Time O+ Ring Current Imaging Evolution (STORIE) Mission

The Storm Time O+ Ring Current Imaging Evolution (STORIE) mission launching in 2025 will provide continuous remote sensing of the ring current using Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs). The STORIE payload will be hosted on the International Space Station (ISS) where it will image the ring current ENA from the inside out. The mission will address compelling issues of ring current science including issues of buildup and decay, as well as the role of heavy ions. This presentation will overview the mission, and update the community on the current status. We will moreover discuss the science objectives, and elaborate on the advantages of ENA imaging from the unique vantage point of the ISS. We will then present the result of numerical models illustrating the expected ENA signal using coupled global MHD and ring current simulations during a geomagnetic event. Finally, we will discuss the initial approach to inverting the ENA signal to obtain the ring current ion flux.

Alex Glocer↗

NASA NTRS2003

Development of A Monte Carlo Radiation Transport Code System For HEDS: Status Update

Modifications of the Monte Carlo radiation transport code HETC are underway to extend the code to include transport of energetic heavy ions, such as are found in the galactic cosmic ray spectrum in space. The new HETC code will be available for use in radiation shielding applications associated with missions, such as the proposed manned mission to Mars. In this work the current status of code modification is described. Methods used to develop the required nuclear reaction models, including total, elastic and nuclear breakup processes, and their associated databases are also presented. Finally, plans for future work on the extended HETC code system and for its validation are described.

Townsend, Lawrence W.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Imaging Gas Counters for X- and Gamma Ray Astronomy

Gas-filled detectors, such as proportional counters, have long been used in x-ray astronomy. They are robust, relatively easy to fabricate, and can provide large collecting areas with reasonable spatial and energy resolution. Despite coming of age in the 50's and 60's, their versatility is such that they are still planned for future missions. A vigorous development program, led mostly by the high energy physics community, has ensured continued improvements in proportional counter technology. These include multistep counters, microstrip technologies and optical avalanche chambers. High fill-gas pressures and the use of suitable converters permit operation up to 100s of GeV. The current status of imaging gas-filled detectors will be reviewed, concentrating on the lower energy region (less than 100 keV) but also briefly covering higher energy applications up to the GeV region. This review is not intended to be exhaustive and draws heavily on work currently in progress at MSFC.

Ramsey, Brian D.↗

NASA NTRS2019

Solar Energetic Particles in the Inner Heliosphere: Status and Open Questions

Solar energetic particle (SEP) events are related to both solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and they present energy spectra that span from a few keV up to several GeV. A wealth of observations from widely distributed spacecraft have revealed that SEPs fill very broad regions of the heliosphere, often all around the Sun. High energy SEPs can sometimes be energetic enough to penetrate all the way down to the surface of the Earth and thus be recorded on the ground as ground level enhancements (GLEs). The conditions of the radiation environment are currently unpredictable due to an as-yet incomplete understanding of solar eruptions and their corresponding relation to SEP events. This is because the complex nature and the interplay of the injection, acceleration and transport processes undergone by the SEPs in the solar corona and the interplanetary space prevent us from establishing an accurate understanding (based on observations and modelling). In this work, we review the current status of knowledge on SEPs, focusing on GLEs and multi-spacecraft events. We extensively discuss the forecasting and nowcasting efforts of SEPs, dividing these into three categories. Finally, we report on the current open questions and the possible direction of future research efforts. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Solar eruptions and their space weather impact’.

Anastasiadis, Anastasios↗

DOE OSTI2018

Prototype Fabrication Division Status Review

The Prototype Fabrication Division (PF) has a critical role in Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) programs as the principal provider of the complex, precision specialty components, often using exotic materials in classified configurations required for experimental activities in the Nuclear Weapons Program (NW). These experiments underpin certification of the nuclear weapons. The LANL Associate Director for Engineering Sciences commissioned an assessment of the current status of the PF enterprise with actionable recommendations for moving forward. The review was held on April 26, 2018. A panel of LANL staff with relevant experience in LANL programs and PF missions, capabilities and challenges heard presentations by PF staff and toured selected PF shops to gain first-hand updates from the floor. The excellent briefings and candid discussions amongst the briefers, workers and the panel added measurably to the effort.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2020

Neutron’s dark secret

The existing discrepancy between neutron lifetime measurements in bottle and beam experiments has been interpreted as a sign of the neutron decaying to dark particles. We summarize the current status of this proposal, including a discussion of particle physics models involving such a portal between the Standard Model and a baryonic dark sector. We also review further theoretical developments around this idea and elaborate on the prospects for verifying the neutron dark decay hypothesis in current and upcoming experiments.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

DOE OSTI2026

Seeing through the nucleus: A review of color transparency phenomena

In this work, we review the current status of the phenomenon of color transparency (CT), a fundamental consequence of the description of hadrons from quantum chromodynamics. CT refers to the vanishing of final (and/or initial) state interactions with the nuclear medium for exclusive process at sufficiently high enough momentum transfers. We discuss the current experimental observations relating to CT and their theoretical implications for other high energy processes. Future CT experiments and facilities are also described.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1979

A broad look at solar physics adapted from the solar physics study of August 1975

The current status of our knowledge of the basic mechanisms involved in fundamental solar phenomena is reviewed. These include mechanisms responsible for heating the corona, the generation of the solar wind, the particle acceleration in flares, and the dissipation of magnetic energy in field reversal regions, known as current sheets. The discussion covers solar flares and high-energy phenomena, solar active regions; solar interior, convection, and activity; the structure and energetics of the quiet solar atmosphere; the structure of the corona; the solar composition; and solar terrestrial interactions. It also covers a program of solar research, including the special observational requirements for spectral and angular resolution, sensitivity, time resolution, and duration of the techniques employed.

Parker, E.↗

NASA NTRS1981

The state of the art of general aviation autopilots - Now and in the future

A study was performed under contract with NASA-Langley Research Center to document the state of the art of general aviation (GA) autopilots and provide information about the current status of GA autopilot technology. Results are based on findings obtained from general and product literature, as well as interviews with manufacturers, users and service centers. The autopilot systems are divided into three categories - wing leveler, automatic, and integrated flight control systems, and a listing of currently available autopilots and their available options is presented. Various autopilot components are discussed, such as the display, data entry devices, and computers; gyroscopes, altitude sensors, airspeed sensors and accelerometers are presented as the primary sensor types. Electromechanical servos, pneumatic and hydraulic actuators are compared in their ability to improve airframe response. Recommendations concerning potential areas of further research and possible areas of improvement are also presented.

Roskam, J.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Coffee-can-sized spacecraft

The current status and potential scientific applications of intelligent 1-5-kg projectiles being developed by SDIO and DARPA for military missions are discussed. The importance of advanced microelectronics for such small spacecraft is stressed, and it is pointed out that both chemical rockets and EM launchers are currently under consideration for these lightweight exoatmospheric projectiles (LEAPs). Long-duration power supply is identified as the primary technological change required if LEAPs are to be used for interplanetary scientific missions, and the design concept of a solar-powered space-based railgun to accelerate LEAPs on such missions is considered.

Jones, Ross M.↗

NASA NTRS2016

Unstructured Grid Adaptation: Status, Potential Impacts, and Recommended Investments Toward CFD Vision 2030

Unstructured grid adaptation is a powerful tool to control discretization error for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). It has enabled key increases in the accuracy, automation, and capacity of some fluid simulation applications. Slotnick et al. provides a number of case studies in the CFD Vision 2030 Study: A Path to Revolutionary Computational Aerosciences to illustrate the current state of CFD capability and capacity. The authors forecast the potential impact of emerging High Performance Computing (HPC) environments forecast in the year 2030 and identify that mesh generation and adaptivity continue to be significant bottlenecks in the CFD work flow. These bottlenecks may persist because very little government investment has been targeted in these areas. To motivate investment, the impacts of improved grid adaptation technologies are identified. The CFD Vision 2030 Study roadmap and anticipated capabilities in complementary disciplines are quoted to provide context for the progress made in grid adaptation in the past fifteen years, current status, and a forecast for the next fifteen years with recommended investments. These investments are specific to mesh adaptation and impact other aspects of the CFD process. Finally, a strategy is identified to diffuse grid adaptation technology into production CFD work flows.

Park, Michael A.↗

NASA NTRS1984

GaAs and 3-5 compound solar cells status and prospects for use in space

Gallium arsenide solar cells equal or supass the best silicon solar cells in efficiency, radiation resistance, annealability, and in the capability to produce usable power output at elevated temperatures. NASA has been involved in a long range research and development program to capitalize on these manifold advantages, and to explore alternative III-V compounds for additional potential improvements. The current status and future prospects for research and development in this area are reviewed and the progress being made toward development of GaAs cells suitable for variety of space missions is discussed. Cell types under various stages of development include n(+)/p shallow homojunction thin film GaAs cells, x100 concentration ratio p/n and n/p GaAs small area concentrator cells, mechanically-stacked, two-junction tandem cells, and three-junction monolithic cascade cells, among various other cell types.

Flood, D. J.↗

DOE OSTI2017

Prospects of direct search for dark photon and dark Higgs in SeaQuest/E1067 experiment at the Fermilab main injector

In this study, we present the current status and prospects of the dark sector physics search program of the SeaQuest/E1067 fixed target dimuon experiment at Fermilab Main Injector. There has been tremendous excitement and progress in searching for new physics in the dark sector in recent years. Dark sector refers to a collection of currently unknown particles that do not directly couple with the Standard Model (SM) strong and electroweak (EW) interactions but assumed to carry gravitational force, thus could be candidates of the missing Dark Matter (DM). Such particles may interact with the SM particles through “portal” interactions. Two of the simple possibilities are being investigated in our initial search: (1) dark photon and (2) dark Higgs. They could be within immediate reach of current or near future experimental search. We show there is a unique opportunity today at Fermilab to directly search for these particles in a highly motivated but uncharted parameter space in high-energy proton–nucleus collisions in the beam-dump mode using the 120 GeV proton beam from the Main Injector. Our current search window covers the mass range 0.2–10 GeV/c 2 , and in the near future, by adding an electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal) to the spectrometer, we can further explore the lower mass region down to about ~1 MeV/c 2 through the di-electron channel. If dark photons (and/or dark Higgs) were observed, they would revolutionize our understanding of the fundamental structures and interactions of our universe.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

NASA NTRS1989

Toward a CFD nose-to-tail capability - Hypersonic unsteady Navier-Stokes code validation

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) research for hypersonic flows presents new problems in code validation because of the added complexity of the physical models. This paper surveys code validation procedures applicable to hypersonic flow models that include real gas effects. The current status of hypersonic CFD flow analysis is assessed with the Compressible Navier-Stokes (CNS) code as a case study. The methods of code validation discussed to beyond comparison with experimental data to include comparisons with other codes and formulations, component analyses, and estimation of numerical errors. Current results indicate that predicting hypersonic flows of perfect gases and equilibrium air are well in hand. Pressure, shock location, and integrated quantities are relatively easy to predict accurately, while surface quantities such as heat transfer are more sensitive to the solution procedure. Modeling transition to turbulence needs refinement, though preliminary results are promising.

Edwards, Thomas A.↗